Digging Up Dinosaurs

Long ago, dinosaurs ruled the Earth. Then, suddenly, they died out. For thousands of years, no one knew these giant creatures had ever existed. Then people began finding fossils — bones and teeth and footprints that had turned to stone. Today, teams of experts work together to dig dinosaur fossils out of the ground, bone by fragile bone. Then they put the skeletons together again inside museums, to look just like the dinosaurs of millions of years ago.

Briefly introduces various types of dinosaurs, explaining how scientists find, preserve, and reassemble the giant dinosaur skeletons seen in museums.

Have you ever been to a museum to see the dinosaur exhibit? Iguanodon, Apatosaurus, and Tyrannosaurus are all there. Where did these enormous skeletons come from and how did they get inside the museum?

Long ago, dinosaurs were everywhere. No one knows why they suddenly died out. Until a little over a hundred years ago, no one even knew they existed. Then people began finding fossils — bones and teeth and footprints of dinosaurs that had turned into stone. What finds these were! Everyone clamored to see them.

But dinosaur bones don't walk into museums by themselves. A team of experts has to work together to dig them up and put them together again. Clear, easy-to-read text and exuberant full-color drawings by acclaimed author-illustrator Aliki detail how dinosaur skeletons are dug out of the ground, bone by fragile bone — and then assembled to look like the dinosaurs of millions of years ago.

Children's Literature

Save old editions when you update primary-grade dinosaur collections with Aliki's revised Fossils Tell Of Long Ago, My Visit To The Dinosaurs, and Digging Up Dinosaurs. Have children compare old to new, discover the changes, and discuss why they think those changes took place.

Aliki has written and illustrated many books, both fiction and nonfiction, loved by readers throughout the world. The books were inspired by a word, an experience, or the desire to find out. Aliki says, "I'm not so great at pushing buttons, but I know things happen when you do." Aliki lives in London, England.